These ROH Drift-R wheels spice...
These ROH Drift-R wheels spice things up a bit and are staggered. They measure 18x8 up front and 18x9 in the rear and wear the popular Nitto NT555 tires.
Increased demands of the forced induction required upgrades to the fuel system. Twin Walbro 255lph in-tank returnless fuel pumps and a Kenne Bell BOOST-A-PUMP help to feed the hungry 364ci mill. Edelbrock composite fuel rails distribute the fuel to 60-lb/hr Motronic fuel injectors.
The 93-octane fuel is ignited by factory coil packs, Taylor 10mm wires, and NGK TR6 plugs. Using a 2-bar MAP Speed Density tune, the factory PCM was tuned by Mike Norris of Mike Norris Motorsports in Winter Garden with HPTuners software. The final result is an extremely tame, mild-mannered street machine with a serious bite.
A stock M12 six-speed transmission is shifted by a GMM RipShift short-throw shifter and connects to the crank by way of a SPEC 3+ clutch. Strengthening the stock 3.46:1 geared differential is a Harrop cover and KAAZ limited slip.
Chassis
Ronnie improved the front suspension with radius rod bushings, hardened strut mounts, and sway bar endlinks from Pedders and Monroe Sensatrac struts. Pedders Harrop inserts and crossmember bushings were installed in the rear, accompanied by Monroe Sensatrac shocks and BMR Drag Bags to help eliminate wheelhop.
Mike completed the suspension work and lowered the ride height all around with a set of King springs. Then he rolled the rear fender lip to make room for 275/35R18 Nitto NT555 tires on 18x9 ROH Drift-R wheels. Up front, 235/40R18 Nittos are worn by 18x8 variants of the Drift-R and behind them are powerful Baer Claw GT-Plus calipers with 13-inch two-piece slotted rotors. The rears were upgraded to drilled and slotted two-piece rotors.
Cabin
Inside the clean cabin of this sophisticated GTO resides an SCSS dual-gauge pod with Phantom II boost and fuel pressure gauges from Auto Meter. Tim Buchanan from Houston, Texas, made a custom A-pillar pod assembly that houses a Turbosmart e-Boost2 gauge and an Innovative Motorsports wide-band A/F meter.
Performance
What started out as a replacement for Ronnie's Corvette ended as an extremely powerful and streetable alternative to his sports car. "I never thought I would have this much fun with the GTO. Every modification made it less of a compromise and that's what I always wanted in a car," he claims. With his best track showing on street tires being a non-NHRA-legal 11.30 at 134 mph on a 1.88 60-foot, it's certainly up to the task of providing the performance he sought. Future plans for this daily driven Goat include mini tubs for the rear, notched control arms, relocated shock mounts, and upgrading the half-shafts to deal with larger, stickier tires. Since it's a street car, he doesn't plan to take it out to the track too often, so he has no intention of getting his Pontiac NHRA-certified.
Conclusion
Ronnie's GTO is extremely special to him since he was never able to build a car with his father, Ed. He feels privileged to have built this Pontiac and share it with his two sons. Ronnie would like to dedicate the car to his father and thank Mike Norris for keeping the project in line. With support from his best friend and wife, Daniela, Ronnie's obsession with cars has been able to take full flight. We're interested in seeing what his GTO will do with proper traction. No need for hoodscoops or a split dual exhaust on this '04 as it provides all the menace you'd expect from a Pontiac musclecar without them.
 While Ronnie's Goat may wear...  While Ronnie's Goat may wear its original 5.7L badges, it no longer receives its motivation from a 346 ci aluminum block. The LS1 block was replaced with a cast iron 6.0L LQ9 featuring forged internals. The turbocharger is nowhere to be seen beneath the hood and there's much less clutter and underhood heat because of that. |  The custom intake elbow displays...  The custom intake elbow displays the Pontiac Arrowhead proudly. |  This Precision PT76GTS T4...  This Precision PT76GTS T4 turbo uses ceramic ball bearings and is located where the muffler would normally be on a traditional exhaust setup. A K&N cone filter helps to prevent debris from entering the turbocharger. |
 These boost and air/fuel ratio...  These boost and air/fuel ratio gauges tell Ronnie exactly what's going on to prevent another disaster from occurring. |  Ronnie plans to replace this...  Ronnie plans to replace this Auto Meter Boost gauge with an oil pressure gauge. |  |